A Corona man who fatally shot a woman and injured her husband in Long Beach during an argument over Hillary Clinton and the 2016 presidential election was sentenced to 35 years to life in prison for murder on Monday, Dec. 27.
John Kevin McVoy Jr., 40, was given the maximum sentence in the wake of last months finding by a Long Beach Superior Court jury that he murdered Susan Garcia, 33.
Her husband, Victor Garcia, and McVoy were in a garage band together and the two got into an argument over politics on Jan. 10, 2017, at the Garcia home in the 6300 block of Knight Avenue in North Long Beach. Two other bandmates were also at the home for practice.
Prosecutors said McVoy shot the Garcias after he was teased for saying he voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election and was told by Victor Garcia to leave, according to prosecutors.
During the trial, McVoys defense attorney, Ninaz Saffari, said her client shot Victor Garcia in self-defense. Victor Garcia made violent threats to McVoy and picked up a can opener which McVoy said he thought may have been a knife from a table when he was shot, she said.
The second shot, which struck Susan Garcia while she held the couples 2-year-old son occurred during a battle for the gun with one of the bandmates, Saffari said. Susan Garcia died at the scene and the boy was not injured.
The jury, after four days of deliberation, found McVoy not guilty of two counts of attempted murder in relation to Victor Garica and the child. And he was also found not guilty of one count of child endangerment.
On Monday, Victor Garcia told the court that McVoy destroyed his family: The couple had just celebrated a wedding anniversary and were planning to have more children.
I wanted to grow old with her and raise our children, Victor Garcia said. She will never be able to see the fine young man my son is growing up to be.
The first bullet struck Victor Garcia in the head, leaving him in a coma for months and prompting two brain surgeries, he said. Hes taken physical therapy to re-learn how to feed and take care of himself, he said, but still struggles with many tasks and permanently lost control of one foot.
My son not only lost his mother, but also part of his father, Victor Garcia said.
McVoy said he did not intend to hurt anyone that day and apologized to the family.
As far as my remorse, I think about this every day, he said.
McVoys sister, Jillian Jones, asked Judge Laura Laesekce for leniency. She said her brother is a good person and her family was shocked when it learned of the shooting.
Laesecke sentenced McVoy to 15 years to life for the murder charge, in addition to 20 years for a firearm sentencing enhancement.
McVoy was the one who brought the loaded gun, cocked it and pointed it at Victor Garcia, the judge said.
Theres no reason to be pointing a gun, she said. Mr. Garcia should not bear the weight of this crime.
McVoy was also ordered to pay $8,000 in restitution to the court. Another restitution hearing for the victims expenses, such as Susan Garcias memorial and Victor Garcias medical bills, was scheduled for March 1.
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Corona man who shot and killed woman during Hillary Clinton argument gets 35 years to life in prison - Press-Enterprise